Combination luggage tag and key holder



- H. K. WE IL COMBINATION LUGGAGE TAG AND KEY HOLDER Feb. 3, 1959 Filed Jan. 4, 1957 mm WW Wm MK/WA M1 w United States Patent COMBINATION LUGGAGE TAG AND KEY HOLDER Helen K. Weil, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application January 4, 1957, Serial No. 632,593

1 Claim. (Cl. 150-40) This invention relates to luggage identification tags and particularly to a combination tag and key holder.

Conducive to a better understanding of the invention it may be well to point out that the keys for hand luggage are usually relatively small and present a storage problem when the luggage is not in use. Such keys being readily subject to misplacement between the times the luggage is used, and especially so, when the luggage is used only at infrequent periods such as at annual vacation times. The usual practice is to drop the key into the interior of the luggage or attach it to the handle by means of a string.

The primary object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a luggage identification tag-holder having a compartment therein for storing a luggage key.

Another object is to provide a device of the type stated that will permit the contained key to be removed and used to operate the luggage lock without detaching the key from the tag-holder.

A further objectis to provide a device that is simple in structure, economical to manufacture and reliable in operation.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following specification and claim, together with the accompanying drawing, wherein;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the combined luggage identification tag and key-holder, that is the subject of this invention, showing the key storage compartment open with the key removed therefrom and ready to be used to operate the lock of the piece of luggage to which it is attached;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same showing the key nestled within the storage compartment; and

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 3-3 of the Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, there is seen the combination luggage identification tag and keyholder, that is the subject of this invention, broadly indicated by the reference numeral 10.

In its preferred form the device is made of leather, although it is to be understood that any other sheet material having the required physical characteristics may be used.

As illustrated in the drawing, the device is fabricated from three rectangular pieces of leather, laid one upon the other and stitched around the edges to form a case having side, top and bottom walls. The so constructed device has a top wall 11, a bottom wall 15, and a center wall 14 therebetween, defining an upper identification-card containing compartment and a lower key storage compartment, as is seen most clearly in Figure 3.

The upper wall 11 has a transparent window 13 therein through which the identification-card 12 may be viewed.

The upper compartment is open at one end to permit the card 12 to be inserted therein. The card 12 is re- 2,871,902 Patented Feb. 3, 1959 tained within the compartment by the leather strap 19 which passes through slots in the walls 11 and 14. The tag 10 is attached to the handle of a piece of luggage, not illustrated by means of the strap 19, in the usual manner.

The lower compartment has a zippered opening 16 at the opposite end to the strap 19.

A flexible extensible and contractable cord 17 is anchored inside the lower compartment. The cord 17 has means for engaging a key 18 at its free end. In its contracted condition the cord 17 is readily coiled within the lower compartment as seen in Figures 2 and 3. In this position the cord 17 and key 18 are nested within the lower compartment and the zipper 16 is closed. The so-retained key 18 is thus safely stored within the identification-tag 10, against loss, when not in use.

To use the key 18 it is only necessary to open the zipper 16, as shown in Figure 1, Withdraw the key 18 and extend the cord 17 to a length to permit the key 18 to be inserted in the luggage lock in the usual manner.

The tag 10 remains attached to the luggage handle at all times, while the cord 17 is extended to the required length to enable the key 18 to reach its lock. Similarly, the key 18 and cord 17 are always anchored in the lower compartment, so that the key 18 cannot be separated from the luggage, to be lost or mislaid, as would be the case if the key 18 were free.

Furthermore, when closed, the structure, described hereinabove, provides a safe storage place for the key to each piece of luggage, that difiers little in appearance and occupies no more space than a conventional luggage tag.

It will now be clear that there is provided a device which accomplishes the objectives heretofore set forth. While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form; it is to be understood that the specific embodiment thereof as described and illustrated herein is not to be considered in a limited sense as there may be other forms or modifications of the invention which should also be construed to come within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A luggage identification tag comprising, a substantially rectangular sheet material case having side, top, and bottom walls and a central wall therebetween, defining an upper, identification card-holding compartment, and a lower, key-holding compartment, the access openings to said compartments being positioned at diametrically opposite ends of the case, the top and central walls of the case having aligned slots therethrough at the opening of the upper compartment, a luggage strap detachably mounted through the said slots and across said opening and retaining the identification card in said upper compartment, a zipper mounted between the central and bottom walls of the case across the opening of the lower compartment, and an extensible and contractable cord anchored in the bottom compartment having key retaining means at its free end, said cord and retained key being extensible through the zippered opening when the zipper is in its open condition, and nested within the lower compartment when the zippered opening is closed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,693,006 Thomas Nov. 27, 1928 1,857,146 Gardner, Ir. May 10, 1932 2,071,757 Matthews Feb. 23, 1937 2,571,609 Powell Oct. 16, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 218,491 Great Britain July 10, 1924 

